Crime Prevention Awards honor citizens, police in Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. - More than a dozen people received awards Monday night for their work in helping to prevent crimes.

The annual Crime Prevention Awards ceremony is put on by the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association of Norfolk in partnership with the Norfolk Police Department.

This year's event was held at the Doubletree by Hilton on Military Highway.

Honorees included citizens and law enforcement like Norfolk Police Officer Wallace Folscher who took home the Law Enforcement award for his work catching a bank robbery suspect outside Larrymore Elementary.

Folscher says he was in the woods near Larrymore in October when he spotted the suspect of robbery just called out by dispatchers.

The suspect, believed to be armed, was headed towards the building and Folscher jumped into action and got the school into lockdown before the man could get inside.

"He was going towards the back and I really had to blade myself between him and the school to cut him off and challenge him," he said. "I was able to get him into custody after a struggle.”

Dawn West, a local real estate agent, took home the Barbara Davis Volunteer award.

West is heavily involved with her local neighborhood watch and helps run the Bayview Neighborhood Crime Watch Facebook page where neighbors can share information on burglaries and other crimes.

"I did not expect this at all," she told News 3. "It has been rewarding to be able to help out people with crime. Especially if you see a situation you can fill in the blanks with the community."

Other awards were handed out for individual city employees, groups and youth.